The past weekend I quit from coding and launch Steam to test the actual state of gamming on the Steam platform, that is my experience:
My installation whas oddly outdated but the delay whas surprising short. And the Steam launch some fullscren ads easy to kill. I notice some interface changes on steam, some informative stuff removed, but with a overall positive score. I like it.
I have avoid CS because I already know CS and Its getting old, and is boring to fight vs pre-teens that waste more than 8 hours everyday optimizing his gamming ability.
My first test whas on "The Ship" a social mod, after the first problems fighting with the steam server browser (learning the interface) I finnaly get a very smoooth experience on both the steam and the mod. I notice that while the game download resources, you can't change key bingins (or you can?),.. but this is not that bad, maybe its better this way. I like the clear cristal details on Steam interface. Its going very well.
Not surprise on "video" details, you can activate new cool video features from that menu, maybe HL engine dont have nothing new eyecandy, or is activated from console.
For some reason I cant change my fov (?)*, but that whas not really important on The Ship. Maybe its how HL work, after all.
My next mod whas Stargate TC, but can't connect because I have a old version on my hd. Steam not help updating 3th party mods, I suspect.
And my next mod whas a Gloom clone. Natural Selection, 0.3 beta. The gameplay looks slighty better than Gloom, but somewhat dificult to understand to newbies, and for some reason the problem of "rush" whas much big than gloom. I like the artistic on weapons and maps, and everything else its well done. Y only miss the existence of outdoors maps, but this is a mapper subject.
After that, I have tried to run DoD mod, but looks like my installating is too old, and the update take too long to my test run, so will test that latter.
Conclusions:
Steam is finnaly usefull and nice. Looks like most problems has been fixed.
The HL engine still looks somewhat old, maybe the next SDK can include a updated particle engine with better smoke trails and others effects (snow, rain, realistic fire,..), and support for water reflection or something similar. Its XMAX soon.
I dont really like the ads or the marketing-naming style for mods and games, but we can ignore that, and Its ok to have this optional. The evil is the gamespy style on his game browser, where ads jump on your face, that sux.
I have also notice a few features here and there that can be better for cybercafes.
Good Work guys! :D
9/10
note*:
I have notice that for elite gamming its *better* to set higuer fov than 90. Its HL force to 90? Its mods that force 90?.
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